Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-17

kading to the landing place. Here the Old
gentleman disembsrked. and invited u 10 do
like wise, which, having no alternative, and
being nearly starved, We did without heSita-
our rifles with us, however As
each Of us landed. our guide again laid his
fingers op his lips in salutation and bowed
deeply, at the same time ordering back the
crowds who hsd assembled to gaze on US The
last to leave the canoe was the girl We had
picked out Of tine water, for whom her COM
panion was waiting Before she went away she
kissed my hand, suppose ss a token of graft
tuie for having saved her from tho fury Of
the hippopotamus: and it se~ned TO me that she
had by this time quite got over Spy fear shs
NAV have had Of us, and WAS Ly no means
anxious TO return In such hurry to her law
ful owner. At any rate. she was going to
kiss Goods hand as well a. mine. when
the young man interfersa and led hsr
off As soon as We were on shore
number Of the men who had rowsd the
big boat took possession OF our few goods
ana chattels, and started with them up
the splendid staircase. our guide indicating to
us by means Of motions that the thingS were
perfectly safe. This done, he turned to the
right and led the way to a small house. which
was, as afterward discovered, an inn Enter
ing into good sized room, We saw that
wooden table was already Furnished with
food, presumably in preparation for US Hero
our guide motione'i us to be seated on bench
that ran the length Of the table We did not
require n second invitation, but At once fell
too ravenously on the viands before us. whicn
were served on wooden plasters, and consisted
Of cold goats flesh, wrapped up In som. kind
Of leaf that gave IL delicious flavor. green
vegetables resembling lettuces, brown bread
and red wine poured from . skin into horn
mugs. This wine was peculiarly soft and
good. having something Of the favor Of Bur
gundy. Twenty minutes after We sat DOWN
at that hospitable board ws rose from 4 feel.
ing like new men. After all that We had
gone through We needed two things. food md
rest, ard the food Of itself WAS . great bless
ing to us Two girls OF the same charming
cast Of face as the first whom We had seen
waited on US while ws ate, and very nicely
they did it, They were also dressed in the
same fashion, namely, in a white linen petit
coat coming to the knee, and with the tosa
like garment Of brown cloth, leaving bare the
right arm and breast. afterward fonpd out
that this was the national dress, and regu.
lated by an iron custom. though. Of course.
subject to variations Thus. II the petticoat
was pure white. it signified that the wearer
was unmarried; If white. with . strs sht puD
pie stripe round the edge, that she was mar
ried and first or legal wife; il with a wavy
purple stripe, that she was . second or other
wife; il with a black stripe. that she was .
widow. In the same way the tosa, or "kaT.-
as they call it. WAS Of different shades of
color, from pure white 70 the deepest brown,
according TO the rank Of the wearsr, and ep-
broiderei at the end in various ways This
also applies to the shirts or tunics, worn by
the men, which varied in material and color:
but the kits were always the same except a.
regards quality. One thing, however, Every
man and woman in the country wore ss the
national insignia, and that was the thick
band OF gold round the right arm above the
elbow and the left leg beneath the knee.
People Of high rank also wore . torqus Of
gold round ,hs neck, aud l observed that our
guide had one on.
So soon as We had finished our meal our
venerable conductor, who had been standing
all the while. regarding Us with inquirinH
eyes, and our guns with something a. like
fear As his pride would allow him to show,
bowed towards Good, whom hs evidently
took for the leader Of the party on account Of
the spiendor Of his apparel. and once more
led the way through the door and to the foot
OF the great staircase. Here ws paused for .
moment TO admire two colossal lions, each
hewn from a single block OF pure black
marble. and standing ramnant on the termi-
nations Of the wide balustrades Of tho stair
case
On he went up the FIRST flight OF 40 steps,
acr,,Sc D.. broad form jnipip~ 10 tb>
second flight, where We paused to admire the
glorious view of one Of the most beautiful
stretches Of country that the world can show.
edged by the blue waters Of the lake. Then
we passed on up this till at last We reached
the top. where We found largs standing
space TO which there were three entrances, all
of small size. Two OF these opened Oh to
rather narrow galleries or roadways cut IN
tie face of the precipice that ran round the
ualace walls and led to the principal thor.
oughfares Of the city. and were used by the
Inhabitants passing up and down from the
docks. These were defended by gates Of
bronze. and also. as We after ward learned. It
WAS possible TO let down q portion Of the
roadways themselves by withdrawing certain
bolts. and thus render it quite impractIcabls
for an enemy to pass The third entrance
consisted Of . flight OF ten curved black
marble steps leading TO a doorway cut b the
palace wall This wall was in itself work
Of art, being built Of huge blocks Of granite to
the height Of forty fest, and 80 fashioned that
its face was concav., whereby Il WAS rendered
practically impossible for it to Be scaled. To
this doorway our guide led Us The door,
which was very massive, and made OF wood
protected by an outer gate OF bronzs. was
closed; but on our approach 10 was
thrown wide. and We were met by the
challenge Of Q scntry, who was armed with
a heavy. triangular bladed spear, NOS un-
like bayonet IN shape, and a cutting sword,
and protected by breast aud back plates of
carefully prepared hipPopotamus hide, and .
small round shield fssLionsd of As same
tough material The sword instantly at
tracted our attention; it was practically
identical with tho one in the poss~ion Of Mr..
Mackenzie which he had obtained from the u
starred wandsrsr There vas No mistakins
the gold lined fretwUk cus IN ths thickness
Of the blade So the man had told Tie truth
after all. Our guide instantly gave . pass
word, which the soldier acknowledged by
letting the iron shaft Of his spear fall With .
ringing sound upon the pavement, and Ne
passed on through the massive vail into tie
courtyard Of the palace. This was about
forty yards square. and laid out in flower
beds full o. lovely shrubs and plants, many
Of which wsre quite new ~ ma Through
the center Of this garden ran . broad walk
formed Of powdered shells brought from the
lake in the place Of gravel Following shis
We came to another doorway with . rosnd,
heavy arch, which is hung with thick cur
tsins, for there are no door In the palace it
self Then came another short passage, and
We were in the great hall Of the palace. and
once more ..ood astonishsd at tho simple and
We, overpovsr!nG grandeur u the place.
The hall Is, ~ We after wards learned, $50
feet long by 80 wide. and has . magnificent
arched roof of carved wood Down the en-
tire length Of tho building there are o. either